


May Flowers of QAF Fix-Its

by shadowfax044



Series: Queer As Folk, as it should have been [2]
Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Cancer, F/F, F/M, Family, Fix-It, Growing Up, HIV/AIDS, Legal battles, M/M, Minor Character Death, Parenthood, Politics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-06-10 17:28:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6966424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowfax044/pseuds/shadowfax044
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part two of my series fix-it story. Brian's professional life is changing, the gang will finally start to get a clue that the Stud of Liberty Avenue might actually be maturing, and the rest of the family will (hopefully!) start to join in. Justin will face Chris Hobbs in court, Emmett will fight for his lover's final wishes to be honored, and Ted will keep looking for love, the sweetheart. And while there will be fights and struggles and the natural unfairness of life along the way, there will be a happy 'ending.'</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. S2 E18: Brian and Justin/Michael, Emmett and Debbie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brian and Justin have some late-night bonding time... but not the fun kind. And the week goes downhill from there.
> 
> Rating for this chapter is T. (Warnings for this chapter: references to past violence, and HIV-related hospitalization.)

Brian woke when the back of a hand slapped his forehead.

"Justin," he called softly, coaxing the blond from sleep. "It's just a dream, Sunshine. Wake up."

Justin moved from dream to reality quickly, his breath still too short and harsh. Brian gently stroked his arm and chest until his breathing regulated, and then he drew Justin into his arms. "I'm right here," he said, soft but firm.

Brian never told Justin to hush, or that everything was okay; it  _wasn't_ okay, Justin had nearly been murdered, and if he wanted to cry and hyperventilate, well that was his fucking right, and no one in their right mind would blame him. Instead, he held on, proving to Justin that he was safe now, that Hobbs wasn't there, that those moments were over. There was still a lot of shit to work through in the aftermath of the bashing, but the immediate danger was past.

They lay like that for a long while before Justin spoke. "Thank you," he offered quietly. Brian just kissed him softly over his cheeks and lips in response, holding Justin close until the blond's breathing finally evened out once more in sleep.

* * *

"Brian."

"What the fuck, Gardner? I thought we were going for high-end accounts. This isn't even low end," Brian complained, holding up the menu for Frawley's Open Fire steakhouse. "It's more like  _back_ end."

Vance gave Brian a miniature smirk. "They have twelve hundred locations in the midwest and the south. And in this economy, we don't turn down any business. Especially not a potentially three million dollar contract."

Brian knew that being assigned this account was Vance's way to earn some petty revenge against him for the stunt with the partnering clause in Brown Athletics' contract. Fuck, this sucked—and not in a positive, life-affirming way.

* * *

_Fuck_ , thought Justin as the gang gathered in Michael and Emmett's apartment.  _This is fucking awful. Ben's sick, Michael must be a wreck, and this is all probably bringing back horrible memories for Brian_.

Emmett's voice cut through Justin's musings. "Okay, well, there _must be **some** thing_ I can do!"

A moment later, Michael came home. He filled everyone in on Ben's condition and then fled to the bedroom. Justin looked up when he felt Brian's hand gently squeeze his shoulder. Brian silently communicated that he was going to follow. Justin nodded in agreement.

Michael was far too closed-off for Brian's peace of mind. Softly and sincerely, he offered, "You don't have to be brave on account of me."

" _On account of you_? Who the hell's thinking about you? I'm thinking about Ben."

Brian gave Michael an unimpressed look. "You know that's not what I meant."

Michael closed his eyes for a moment, took two deep breaths, and then went back to frantically moving about his room in preparation for returning to the hospital.

* * *

The next day, Michael phoned Brian in a panic. He'd been crying and was having trouble even getting out the words, "Please come, Brian... need... my best friend."

Brian, naturally, ditched the big-wigs from Frawley's and went straight to Ben's room at the hospital. When he arrived, Michael was leaning with his forehead against the wall of the hallway, his hair in complete disarray. Brian laid a hand on Michael's shoulder to get his attention.

It was obvious how difficult a time Michael was having. Brian knew the feeling of helpless despair quite well. If he hadn't been so concerned for his friend, he probably would have thought to himself that he hoped he'd at least had better hair when he'd been in Michael's shoes.

Not long into explaining how Ben was faring, Michael broke down. Brian pulled him into his arms, providing what support he could while the man vented his pent-up worry and heartache. When he pulled back, Michael managed to choke out, "I don't want him to die."

"He's not gonna die," Brian promised quickly, softly. "He'snotgonnadiehe'snotgonnadie." He hoped like hell that was true.

Michael wiped away his tears and pulled back. "I need to be strong."

"You  _are_ strong."

"No, I'm  _not_. My mom was right."

Angrily, Brian answered, "Your mom doesn't know shit." He took a deep breath. "Listen to me. Are you listening? The night"—Brian choked up a bit but continued on—"Justin was bashed, and I called you, you were about to get on a plane but you came here and you sat with me for three days"—his voice went strained again, tighter this time—"waiting to see if he was gonna live or die. If it hadn't been for you, I... I never would've made it. You  _are_ strong, Michael. You were strong enough for both of us then. It's just my turn. Alright?"

Michael nodded, let his tears flow again, and leaned into Brian for comfort and support.

* * *

"Honeycutt," Brian growled into the phone on his way home from the hospital. "You said you wanted a job? Talk some fucking sense into Deb, would you?"

* * *

Brian sighed again. Justin thought it must have been the tenth time in the last fifteen minutes. "Rough account?"

" _Shit_ account," Brian corrected angrily. "Stupid fucking steak house." He gave his lover a hopeful look. "You feel like being helpful?"

Justin pulled a face. "I'd much rather eat  _your_ meat right now."

Brian laughed at that for a moment, but then he sat up straight. "That's  _fucking_ brilliant, Sunshine."

Cocking his head, Justin asked, "What was brilliant?"

Instead of answering, Brian got to work with his graphics program. Justin moved over to the desk to see what he had come up with. He gave a quick laugh and asked, " _Eat the meat_ , seriously?"

"It's short and catchy, and it'll draw a younger crowd than most of their current customers, which is what they told us they're looking for. It's fucking genius.  _You're_ fucking genius."

"I'm fucking  _horny_. Finish up and come to bed, stud, or I'll start  _and_ finish without you."

Brian smirked at him. "Yes, sir."

* * *

Emmett knocked on Debbie's front door, feeling a little nervous. This wasn't really his place. But if this would help Michael, and if it was something everyone else was willing to let him do, then he would do it.

"Em, honey, what brings you by?"

He smiled and kissed her cheek. "I was hoping for a bit of girl talk, if you're not busy."

"You know I'm never too busy for you, honey. Come on in."

They chatted for a while before Emmett finally got the courage to bring up the subject. "Actually, what I really wanted to talk to you about is Michael and Ben. Um... were you aware that Ben's in the hospital?"

Debbie's mouth pinched. "Yeah, Vic told me this afternoon."

Emmett nodded. "Have you gone to see them?"

"No, since apparently my own son doesn't want me there!"

"Deb," Emmett said, voice serious. "He would love to have you there with him. He needs all the support he can get right now. But he  _doesn't_ need an 'I told you so,' or more negativity. They've got enough to worry about right now. But if you could put aside your—very valid—concern for him being in a relationship with a man who is positive and be there for your son and his boyfriend while they deal with some health issues... I think you could make a lot of people in this family happy, including yourself."

Emmett let Deb digest that for a few minutes. Eventually, she asked, "You think I'm wrong to be worried about what Michael's future will look like with a positive partner."

It wasn't a question, but Emmett answered it like one. "No, I don't think you're wrong to worry. I think you're wrong to express your worry the way you've been doing it. Just because something might end badly, might cause you pain, or might turn out to be a bad idea, doesn't mean that you should avoid it altogether. If we all did that, no one would ever get out of their bed in the morning. Everything in life is a risk, Deb. It's up to each person what they pursue despite those risks. Michael chose Ben, and so far it's been paying off. They've hit a rough patch, but they both have friends and family who love them who will be their support and strength while they need it." Emmett sighed as he stood and headed for the door. Just before he left, he called back over his shoulder, "Go see Ben. Go support your son. Let them know that their happiness is the most important thing, because it  _is_."

And with that, he left.

The next day, Debbie took Ben some homemade chicken broth and a heartfelt apology.


	2. S2 E18: Emmett

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emmett gets offered a settlement on the disputed money that George left him, but he won't accept the terms.
> 
> Rating for this chapter is T.

"A million dollars?" Emmett asked the lawyer incredulously. "Just like that?"

"Conditionally," explained Sara Williams, the lawyer that Brian had hired on Emmett's behalf. "They want you to sign a document stating that you never had an intimate—meaning romantic and sexual—relationship with George Schickle, and that you will never tell anyone such a thing in the future."

Emmett's face went into a rare scowl. "They fucking  _what_?!"

Sara smiled sadly. "Unfortunately, they are far more concerned with their family's reputation than they are with abiding by George's final wishes. Professionally speaking, I would advise you to settle. But as a fellow human being with a heart, I say you should fight it. Considering the Schickles' social and political influence, I doubt we'd be able to get a judge to agree to the full amount. But I think we could get you the decreased inheritance without the gag order as a condition. It'll take longer, and it will certainly take plenty of fortitude on your part, but it can be done."

Emmett considered the matter for a few moments. Eventually, he asked, "Why did you tell me to go for it?"

With a twist of her lips, Sara answered, "Because professionally, it would be in my best interest to advise toward the sure money. But as a person, I think it's despicable that they want you to promise never to tell another soul how much you loved George. I wouldn't ever condone promising such a thing in exchange for something as common as money. They print more money every day.* Real love doesn't come around nearly as often."

That sounded like something Emmett himself would say. With a smile, he said, "So how do we drag their asses down, Ms. Williams?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *This line is adapted from the movie _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_.
> 
> This chapter is awfully short; I'm sorry for that. I just didn't think it fit well with what I was putting on either side of it, so it ended up standing on its own.


	3. S2 E19: Justin and Ethan/Michael, Brian and Michael, Debbie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael sees something and completely misinterprets it. Debbie decides to educate some of Carl's cop buddies.
> 
> Rating for this chapter is T.

The release date for _Rage_ was quickly approaching, and Justin was putting up some posters he had made. He knew that Brian was working on some advertising that was a little more sophisticated, but he liked the idea of being involved. Michael had offered to help put them up around town, and they had split up to cover more ground more quickly.

Justin was in the middle of stapling a poster when a voice said from his right side, "Fancy meeting you here."

Internally, Justin groaned. Ethan Gold had kept "randomly" popping up around him for the past several weeks, and it had moved past annoying and into creepy. With a tense smile, Justin turned. "Hello."

"Rage," Gold read, leaning close to Justin's shoulder. "What's this?"

"The comic book a friend and I are making," he explained, though he didn't want to. Curse his country club manners.

Apparently, Gold didn't have the same training. Justin just caught a flicker of distaste before he schooled his face into the ingratiating (or, Justin supposed that was what he meant it to look like) smile. "I wouldn't have pegged you for the comic book type."

"I'm not, really," Justin said with a shrug. "My friend is. He had the idea to create a super hero that was explicitly gay, and I wanted in on it. We write the story together, and I draw the art."

"I'd love to see it," he said, sidling closer. "Your work is always fantastic."

 _Yeah_ , Justin thought with an internal roll of his eyes,  _because you've seen all of three of my pieces at a school show_. He put his free hand in his jeans pocket and tossed his head in the direction of the poster. "It'll be released in about three weeks. My friend's comic shop will be carrying it, or you can buy it online."

Unknown to Justin, Michael had spotted the two of them a few moments before. He didn't like the look of how closely they were standing together. And from this angle, it looked like the strange guy had leaned in to kiss Justin... but he couldn't be sure.

Gold leaned in again to look at the poster over Justin's shoulder. "Gay super hero, huh? Well, the poster is fantastic. I can't wait to read it."

Justin gently removed himself from Gold's vicinity. "I've got a lot more of these to put up. I'd better get going."

"See you later, Justin!" Gold called with a smile, watching as Justin walked off.

Michael stood, confused and hurt on Brian's behalf, wondering what he should do.

* * *

"I don't understand why he won't leave me the fuck alone!" Justin growled. He and Brian were lounging on the couch with one of Brian's old movies playing. "Can't he tell that he makes me uncomfortable?"

Brian chuckled. "Probably not. If he's not from the country club set, he won't recognize the 'I'm being polite but I actually hate you' routine."

Justin groaned. "Does that mean I have to actually tell him that I don't want him near me?"

With a gentle squeeze around Justin's waist, Brian offered, "I could do it instead."

"What?" Justin gave Brian a sideways look. "What do you mean?"

"If he sees the gorgeous hunk of man you've already got, he'll realize you're lightyears out of his league."

Justin almost objected, but then he saw the look of anticipation in Brian's eyes. He realized that he would be jealous of anyone else following Brian the way Gold had been following him. Maybe Brian needed to do this for his own peace of mind. "Yeah," he finally answered, voice soft. "Thanks, Bri."

* * *

Michael had made up his mind. He had talked to Ben the night before, who was against Michael meddling in Brian and Justin's business, but Michael loved Brian. Lately, it had started becoming more like the brotherly love that he knew Brian had always wanted it to be, but that didn't mean they were any less close. Michael couldn't keep something like this from Brian. He just couldn't.

He was just a little nervous about actually telling. That's all.

Brian walked into the shop and greeted Michael with a kiss on his forehead. "How's it hanging, Mikey?"

"Well...."

He gave Michael a scrutinizing look. "What is it?"

"There's something I need to tell you." He explained about the guy he'd seen, the conversation he'd had with Justin, how they stood so close. "And I can't be sure, because my angle wasn't the greatest, but... it looked like the guy kissed him."

To Michael's eternal surprise, Brian smirked sadly. "His name's Ethan Gold, he goes to Justin's college. He was the violinist at the concert the munchers took Justin to for his birthday. The guy's been practically stalking Justin ever since he turned the guy down." Michael's face must have shown his confusion, because Brian draped his arm around the man's shoulders and explained, "He already told me about it, Mikey. Justin's just too polite to tell a practical stranger that he's a creep. But I'm gonna handle it. Not sure how yet, but I've got this."

Michael's shoulders relaxed a bit. "You're sure it's all okay?"

"Absolutely." Brian smiled and shook Michael's shoulders a bit. "But thanks for looking out for me, Mikey."

* * *

Debbie watched with a smile as one of the young men in the next row bowled a strike and then leapt into his boyfriend's arms in celebration.

The smile turned to a scowl when one of Carl's cop buddies moved to do a very inaccurate impersonation. The young man had not been effeminate or limp-wristed, and he hadn't  _flounced_ toward the lane. Indignantly, Debbie demanded, "You have a problem with gay people, Ralph?"

Ralph looked over at her, his face still laughing. "I just don't think they belong in sports, that's all."

Deb snorted. "At least ten percent of the population is gay*. You think the same numbers don't apply to sports?"

"Are you suggesting that a bunch of gay people could beat us in a bowling match?"

"Of course they could! Give me two weeks to put together a team, and I'll prove it to you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * This statistic isn't supported by any actual polling, but considering the fact that many LGBT people cannot even admit to _themselves_ , let alone anyone else, who they are, I'm absolutely certain that any "official" information on population percentages is far too low.
> 
> I'm so happy with how Michael is developing. I think he can be a fantastic character once he grows up a bit.
> 
> I changed the unnamed character in this episode that Deb smiles at during the bowling match. I don't like the frequent use of stereotypes in the show, and effeminate or "obvious" gay men aren't the only ones who suffer from homophobia.


	4. S2 E20: Michael and Justin/Ben, Brian and Ethan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brian gets his revenge on Ethan, Michael talks to Justin, Ben considers taking a sabbatical, and the _Rage_ launch party causes quite a stir.
> 
> Rating for this chapter is T.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The weather in this part of season 2 and a lot of season 3 is way too cold to be accurate, so I'm going to be fixing that. Yes, it's the American Midwest, and yes, it can get cold even in April, but the hats and gloves and scarves are too much. The show was limited because of filming, but I'll be changing it in the story. Just an FYI.

"Hey Justin, I'm glad you're here." Michael fidgeted with his hands as he stood behind the counter in his shop.

"What's up?" Justin asked, taking his school bag off his shoulder and placing it on the counter.

Michael sheepishly explained about seeing Justin and Ethan talking a few days before and telling Brian about it, thinking that Justin had been cheating. "I'm really sorry for not checking with you first to find out what was going on. I... I shouldn't have assumed."

Justin smiled. "That's okay. I get it. You were looking out for Brian, which I appreciate. I promise there's nothing going on with me and Ethan."

Smiling in return, Michael nodded. "Good."

* * *

 

"So you'll be gone, what? A few weeks?" Michael asked as he, Ben, Deb, and Vic sat around Deb's kitchen table for a family dinner.

"Well, it's an intensive program, so, if I decide to go," Ben answered slowly. He paused a moment before adding, "More like six months."

Everyone went quiet for a while after that. Eventually, conversation started up again, but they were all still thinking about what Ben had announced: Tibet, for six months, while he was taking a medication holiday.

* * *

Brian was walking from VanGard to the diner to meet up with Sunshine, Gus, and Lindsey for lunch when he heard the violin music. Smirking, he headed right for the little fucker. When he walked by, he dropped a hundred dollar bill in the case with the sign saying  _starving student_.

Right on cue, the music stopped. "Hey, 'scuse me, sir!"

Brian turned around, a tiny smirk on his face. Gold held up the bill. "You, uh, you dropped a hundred dollars in my case."

"It says you're starving," he pointed out.

Gold answered laughingly, "Yeah, well, more like a little hungry."

With a nod and leaning in conspiratorily, Brian asked, "You are a student?"

"You wanna see my ID?"

Brian leaned back out of Gold's space. "You're good."

"I know."

Although Brian didn't like this guy personally, he did have talent. And Brian could admire the fact that he was confident in his work, though the impression he gave was one of conceit instead. Ready to move ahead with his plans, he asked, "So why are you standing on the street, playing for nickles and dimes?" Gold said something about not being N'Sync, and Brian offered, "There are other ways to make money. Couple thousand, at least."

Gold looked baffled. "Doing what?"

Instead of answering, Brian nodded his head at the diner. "I'm starving, I'm gonna go grab some lunch."

Gold followed.

A few minutes later, as they sat in the diner, Ethan asked, "Commercials?"

"Yeah, we're about to shoot one now," Brian explained. He described the set-up of the commercial and what part the violinist would play. "You're the strolling violinist playing something ridiculously romantic, like Paganini's Contabile in D major, Opus 17." Brian recalled Justin saying that Gold had once offered to play that for him under the stars, as if that's all that romance was: moonlight and classical music. Fucker didn't know shit about how to show someone how much you care about them.

"You're kidding me," Gold said obliviously, "that's on my CD."

"No shit?" Brian smirked lightly but turned it into a smile. "It's one of my favorites."

Right on cue, in walked Justin, Lindsey, and Gus.

Justin smiled when he saw Brian but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Ethan sitting with him. He approached slowly then. "Brian?"

"Hey, Sunshine, Linds." He reached out to take Gus. "Hey, Sonnyboy! Come sit with Daddy."

Ethan was looking back and forth between Brian and Justin, face scrunched in confusion. "Justin? You know this guy?"

Justin raised an eyebrow. "Of course I do." He leaned down to give Brian a quick but filthy hello kiss. "Hey stud. Wanna fill me in?"

"Business meeting," Brian said, hiding his smirk. Justin could see the mischievous light in his eyes and understood immediately.

Turning back to Ethan, Justin offered, "Ethan, I'm sure you remember Lindsey and Gus. And this is my boyfriend, Brian Kinney. He's an advertising executive with VanGard." Brian rolled his eyes when Justin called him his 'boyfriend' but otherwise left it alone.

Gold slumped a little in his seat, obviously recognizing his defeat.

* * *

Vic sat and listened to all the reasons Deb and Michael were giving of why Ben shouldn't go to Tibet. And while he agreed that their fears and concerns were valid, it was still Ben's choice what to do with his life. So when he left Woody's, he headed over to Ben's place.

"Vic! What a pleasant surprise. Come on in."

They sat chatting for a while before Ben asked why Vic had come over.

"I know this Tibetan monastery is something you're really looking forward to. I know Debbie thinks you're crazy for it, but I don't."

Ben smiled gratefully. "Thank you."

Vic sighed. "I understand. With this disease, you're even more aware than the average person of what little time you might have left, and you want to do it all." He explained about how he had taken Debbie with him to visit the country of their ancestry.

"The thing is, Ben," he said as he finished his story, "I wanted to go to Italy. But I also wanted to give my sister those memories to hang on to after I'm gone." He looked pointedly at Ben. "The only thing that worries me is that you might later come to regret those six months that you missed out on with the people you love in order to do something you'd love to do. If you want to do the program, then go. But be sure it's what you want."

Ben nodded, a thoughtful look on his face.

* * *

The  _Rage_ party was a roaring success.  _Brian's a genius_ , Justin kept thinking. Everyone was having a fantastic time, and there were a lot of entertainment journalists milling around and shaking Justin and Michael's hands whenever they wandered by.

"Having fun?" Brian asked, sliding his arms around Justin's shoulders.

Smiling, Justin nodded. "You've completely outdone yourself, Mr. Kinney."

Kisses were suddenly being placed up and down Justin's neck. "Wanna take a trip to the backroom?" Brian asked huskily. "I love successful men."

"You love  _me_ ," Justin countered, chuckling. "Just us, or should we take someone with us?"

"Hmm." Brian considered a moment. "Let's take someone to the backroom, but go home alone."

Justin smiled. "Let's go grab Rage."

Brian groaned appreciatively. "I like the way you think, Sunshine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's never enough Vic, so I let him be the one to talk to Ben instead of having Debbie do it. Besides, Vic mentions in this episode how he took Debbie with him to Italy when he got out of the hospital; the key there is he took someone he cared about with him. He didn't want to miss out on that time with the people he loves. Ben had been planning to go do the program in Tibet alone.
> 
> And I just love that I could use the scene between Brian and Ethan with my own little twist to it! XD


	5. S3 E1: Emmett, The Gang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emmett's suit for the money George left him comes to its conclusion, and the girls have their eight-year anniversary party.
> 
> Rating for this chapter is T.

"They really don't want to go to court," Sara Williams was saying. "Considering the statements from George's doctors and the household staff, there's only a slim chance a judge wouldn't award you the full amount in George's will. So to avoid court, the family are willing to offer you one million in settlement, this time without the condition that you hide the relationship you had with George."

Emmett sat, utterly stunned. Was this real? Could he trust it this time? "Are you sure?" he croaked.

Sara laughed. "Yes, Emmett, I'm sure. I've got the paperwork right here. All you have to do is sign it."

Slowly, Emmett leaned forward. He read the document over carefully, then signed his acceptance.

"Congratulations," Sara said softly. "I know it won't make up for losing George, but I hope it's a comfort to know that he'd be happy to have you have this."

Emmett gave her a teary smile and a grateful hug.

* * *

"Congratulations!" Emmett said as he hugged Lindsey. "Eight years, my my."

Lindsey's smile was a little tight. "Thank you, Emmett. And congratulations to you, as well. What do you plan to do with the money?"

Emmett shrugged and then reached over to hug Mel, too. "I haven't decided yet. There are so many possibilities! I'll figure it out eventually, though."

"And how are things with you and Ted?" Mel asked slyly.

"Oh." Em was quiet for a moment. "They're going very well, thank you."

Lindsey would have asked if Emmett wanted to talk to them about anything, but just then Michael and Ben arrived to give their own congratulations to the ladies. Melanie and Lindsey's friend Dusty had decided to throw them an anniversary party. Under other circumstances, Lindsey would have been thrilled that their friend was doing such a thing for them. But with the way things had been between her and Mel lately...

Over near the food table, Vic turned to Justin and Brian. "They don't exactly look like a happy couple today, do they?"

Justin shook his head slightly, a sad look on his face. "They haven't looked like a happy couple for a while."

Brian knew the girls had been struggling for a while, and then Leda's presence had added extra strain on their relationship. Lindsey had confided in him about their threesome and the awkward dismissal of Leda afterward. Ever since, Lindsey had said, they'd been having a hard time re-establishing themselves as a couple. Mel was working extra hours because they were tight on money, which meant that Lindsey was frequently home alone with Gus. Lindsey was starting to feel lonely.

Lindsey was one of Brian's oldest friends, and he loved her like a sister. He would be there for her, and he'd offer advice if she asked for it (and if he had any). But it wasn't his responsibility to fix this.

Now if he could just make himself believe that.

"I'm sure they'll work it out," Justin said, laying his hand on Brian's arm to bring him out of his reverie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry again, guys, for getting this story out late. I was gone all holiday weekend and couldn't start formatting and posting. It should hopefully only take a couple days to get it all up, though.


	6. S3 E2 & 3: Emmett and Ted, Mel and Lindsey, Brian and Justin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emmett and Ted are trying out a romantic relationship. Melanie makes a suggestion in the hopes that she and Lindsey can strengthen their relationship and bring it back to what it had been. And Brian and Justin discuss their friends' chances of success.
> 
> Rating for this chapter is T.

Emmett woke to the smell of coffee and the feel of Teddy's expensive bed linens. The new couple snuggled and sweet-talked for a while before Ted headed off to take a shower.

When Em heard the water turn on in the shower, he sighed, shoulders sagging. He hadn't lied—sex with his best friend had been _phenomenal_. Emmett couldn't understand where Teddy's insecurities over his sexual prowess were coming from, because he had absolutely no complaints.

At least, not about the technical execution of the sex.

The problem was the missing romantic feelings.

He loved Teddy; he  _really did_. But he loved him as a friend, like family. And while sex hadn't felt wrong or uncomfortable, it was definitely lacking in the kind of spark he'd experienced with George.

With a mental admonishment to give the feelings time to grow, Emmett hopped out of bed and started getting ready for the day.

For his part, Ted was thinking something similar. He'd been so sure that he was ready for this kind of relationship with Emmett. The man had been his best friend for as long as Melanie and Lindsey had been together: eight long years. And the way he'd begun feeling for Emmett just before they'd gotten together was similar to but even stronger than how he'd felt about Michael for several years, before David and then Ben had come along.

A niggling feeling in the back of Ted's mind suggested that romantic attraction might not be what this was... but he shoved it down and continued his morning ablutions. Time was all they needed.

* * *

Mel laid Gus down in his bed, dropped a kiss on his forehead, and pulled Lindsey out the door with her. Tentatively, she said, "I've been thinking...."

Lindsey smirked. "Dangerous words, Counselor."

"About having another baby."

With a shocked look on her face, Lindsey drew back. "What, now?"

"Well," Mel said, feeling even more hesitant in the face of her wife's surprise, "we love Gus so much, and I think we're doing a great job as parents. Things are going well at the firm, and I'm due for a raise in two months. I thought now would be a good time to start talking about it."

Lindsey sank onto their bed, her face still showing her shock. "Mel... you know I want to have more, but... Gus is so much of a handful already. He's not even two years old yet."

Mel sat down next to her. "Do you think it's too soon?"

She shook her head. "It's not that. I just... it hadn't even been on my mind yet."

"Well," Mel said, planting a soft kiss on Lindsey's jaw, "just think about it a bit."

* * *

A few days later, Melanie took a day off of work that she hadn't told Lindsey about. She visited the doctor and spent the morning having an outpatient procedure done. When she was discharged, she headed straight home.

"Mel!" Lindsey said, surprised to see her home so early. "What are you doing home?"

"I have great news." Mel smiled radiantly as she explained what she'd done.

Lindsey was gobsmacked. "You... had the procedure?"

"Like you said," Mel went on, "it was no big deal. He did it in the office, zapped me with a lazer, couple of stitches...."

"But you should've told me, I would've come!"

Mel took off her coat and joined her wife and son on the floor. "It was something I had to do on my own, for myself. Like bungee jumping."

"I hope that's not next," Lindsey joked weakly. She didn't know what to think. They hadn't talked much more about the idea of having another child. This was all happening so fast, and that made Lindsey worried. But she shoved the feeling aside—she had a tendency to make mountains out of mole hills, and with how happy Mel looked just then, she couldn't bring herself to let her fear drag down the woman she loved.

Mel smiled as she finished by saying, "Everything's fine. He said I can get pregnant right away."

* * *

After a few days of arguing back and forth about whether Brian should father their next child, the girls finally arranged a Saturday morning breakfast with Brian and Justin.

Brian did his best to sit through breakfast without demanding they fill him in on what was up—it was always so easy to tell when the munchers wanted something from him. Eventually, the dishes had been cleared and the women's awkwardness ramped up another few notches.

"So what is it you want this time?" he asked with as much snark as possible. Justin elbowed him lightly in the ribs and gave him a stern look, while Lindsey said his name admonishingly. "What? There's no point in denying it, it's written all over your faces."

Melanie drew in a deep breath. "We've decided to give Gus a sibling."

Justin raised his eyebrows and shot Brian a quick look, but he didn't say anything. Brian looked at the women and asked, "As in, right now?"

"Well, yes," Lindsey said. "Why do you ask like that?"

"It's just...." Justin felt awkward butting in—he was the only adult present that wasn't already a parent—but he couldn't bring himself to stay silent on the topic. "You two had to work so hard to make your financial situation support Lindsey staying at home with Gus. Adding another child and all the expenses along with it... can you afford that right now?"

Feeling irked at Justin bringing up their financial situation, Lindsey answered as primly as possible, "We have the logistics all figured out. We just wanted to talk to you, Brian, about fathering this child, also."

Trying to avoid giving an immediate answer, Brian said, "Were you worried I wouldn't want to have another kid, Linds?"

"It's not that," she explained slowly. "It's that our agreement was for any further children that  _I_ was going to carry."

"We've decided that I'm going to carry our next child." Mel smiled happily and reached out for Lindsey's hand.

Brian told the girls that he'd give it some thought and get back to them about his decision.

* * *

"All of our friends have officially gone fucking insane."

Justin smirked at him. "I'm telling them all that you admitted they're your friends."

"Fuck you." Brian reached over and shoved Justin's shoulder before following him down onto the couch cushions. "Emmett and Theodore are fucking, which is just all kinds of fucked up, and Mel and Linds want to have another kid when their marriage is already on the rocks."

"They can't seriously be naïve enough to think that having another baby will  _solve_ problems instead of create more, can they?"

Brian puffed out a breath. "I'm sure neither of them are even admitting to themselves that they're still having issues."

Justin dropped kiss on Brian's nose. "So what are you gonna tell them?"

"That while it's their decision when they want to have another kid, I'm not ready for that myself. I really did think it would be a few more years before the subject even came up again."

"Are you gonna tell Lindsey that you think she's making a mistake?"

Sighing, Brian dropped his head. "I fucking hate feeling responsible for everybody else."

Justin shook his head. "No matter how you feel about it, they aren't your responsibility. They can make their own decisions. Your only responsibility is to be honest with your friends."

"Smart fucker," Brian whispered, moving in for a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think the writers gave enough weight to the whole thing with Mel, Linds, and Leda. Going from long-term monogamy (with one instance of cheating that led to a period of separation) to suddenly sharing their bed with another woman is a _huge deal_ , and yet in the show, the whole issue was gone as suddenly as Leda was. That's not how it works. And I think the problems between Melanie and Lindsey that come up in season 4 would be much more plausible if they were still having trouble when they decided to conceive a second time.
> 
> Also, with Brian not dealing with the pain of Justin having left him, I think he'd have his head on much straighter about what his friends are going through. And there's no way he would father another child if he knew the parents that child would be living with were using pregnancy and child-rearing as distractions from their marital problems.


	7. S3 E4: Brian and Justin and John

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brian's sister Claire asks him for a favor.
> 
> Rating for this chapter is T. (Warning: mentions of homophobia and sexism.)

"I don't care what he's doing, I have to see him."

Brian closed his eyes and groaned internally. What the fuck was Claire doing at his office?

Claire and her oldest son John came into the room, Cynthia trailing behind. "I'm sorry, Brian. She insisted."

"Brian, I need to talk to you," Claire whined. "The school just called. Peter broke his arm at soccer practice."

"Gardner," Brian said, looking pointedly at Claire. "My sister Claire."

Vance set down the bag of chips he and Brian had been discussing (Brian's new account, Hot Potaters) and said uncomfortably, "Sounds like you're having a family crisis. I'm gonna let you sort it out. Pleasure," he offered Claire briefly as he walked out of the room. Brian pinched the bridge of his nose as Claire started in again.

"I have to get to the emergency room right away," Claire was saying as Justin walked into the room. Brian breathed an inaudible sigh of relief. He hated dealing with his family, but at least having Sunshine there might make it a little easier.

"Sorry for just walking in," Justin said awkwardly, feeling the tension in the room. "Cynthia wasn't at her desk, so...."

"Sunshine," Brian said brightly, pulling him in for a quick kiss. "I don't think you've met my sister Claire or her demon spawn, John?"

Justin gave Brian a reproachful look before turning to Claire. "It's nice to meet you."

Claire barely glanced at him before going back to needling. "Brian, are you going to listen to me or not?"

"What the fuck do you want me to do?" he asked, sighing. "If you have to get to the ER, what are you doing  _here_?"

"Can you help me? Can you look after John?"

"In case you haven't noticed," he said pointedly, dropping into his chair, "I'm  _working_."

Claire pulled John in front of her. The kid ignored her, still engrossed in his handheld video game. "Well, I don't know what else to do with him."

Biting his lip, Justin gave the situation a moment of consideration. "I could look after him for a couple hours," he finally offered.

That got John to look up from his game. "I don't need a babysitter. And it doesn't look like you're old enough for that, anyway."

Justin raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "I'm nineteen."

"Nineteen? Seriously, Brian?" Claire gave them a disgusted look.

"Oh my god," Justin grumbled under his breath, "age is just a fucking number. Why can't people get over it already?"

Brian chuckled at that, squeezing around Justin's shoulders. He looked at Claire and said, "Justin's got a younger sister, he's perfectly capable of keeping John out of trouble for a while. They can head back to the loft while you're at the hospital with Peter."

Claire gave Justin a skeptical look, but then she glanced at her watch. Apparently not willing to waste any more time, she sighed. "Alright. John? Behave yourself. I'll pick you up later."

* * *

"So are you and my uncle really fucking?"

Justin gave a startled laugh. "How old are you?"

"Almost thirteen."

"You're tall for your age."

John shrugged and dropped his bag on the floor of the loft. "My dad's six foot four."

Justin sat on one of the sofas while John plopped down on the other one, looking at Justin expectantly. He sighed. "Yes, we're sleeping together. I think you're a little young to be using words like 'fuck,' though, don't you?"

"Everyone else in my family says it. Except Grandma, but she's an uptight bitch."

"Hey," Justin scolded gently. "You're entitled to your own opinions, but you need to be more respectful. And you shouldn't swear without knowing exactly what the word you're using means."

"I know what they mean! I'm not some stupid kid!"

"I didn't say you were—" Justin began, but John plowed on.

"'Fucking' is having sex, and a 'bitch' is a woman that's mean and cranky."

Justin shook his head. "Sorry. Only fifty percent on that quiz."

John just looked at Justin for a moment. "....Huh?"

"You were right about what 'fucking' means. But 'bitch' doesn't actually mean what you think it does." Justin gave a conciliatory face and tilted his head. "Well, I suppose people have started using it to mean that, but there's a lot more to that word."

Amazingly, John actually seemed to be paying attention. He tentatively asked, "So... what does it mean, then?"

Justin smiled. "The term 'bitch' was originally used for female dogs, so a lot of people think that's what the word means, too. But it actually is referring to the fact that the female—dog or otherwise—derives her worth from her ability to produce offspring. So calling your grandmother a 'bitch' means you think she's only good for reproduction."

John's face screwed up in disgust. " _Ewwww_."

With a chuckle, Justin said, "Told you that you shouldn't use a word if you don't know what it means."

"Well, Grandma's definitely not a bitch, then." John gave a wry look. "Mom's always complaining about how she's a horrible mother."

Feeling his heart sink for this kid, Justin quickly changed the subject. "So what game were you playing on your GameBoy? It looked like you were pretty into it."

* * *

About an hour later, Justin was working on a term project while John sat doing his homework. They'd been silent for quite a while, so it surprised Justin when John asked, "Why do you like guys?"

Sensing a very serious discussion coming on, Justin said, "Let me save my work, and then we'll talk. Okay?"

"Sure."

They were soon sitting on the same couch, facing each other, though John's face was pointed down and he was playing with his fingers. Justin prodded gently, "Why do you want to know?"

John sighed. "Because Grandma is always saying how Uncle Brian is going to go to Hell for the sin of homosexuality. But then Mom is always complaining that Brian is the only successful one in the family and never does anything to help us out. If what he's doing is wrong, then why does he have more money than we do?"

Closing his eyes, Justin wondered if the world was ever going to come to its senses. "Firstly, that's not how it works. People who do good things aren't always successful. And too often, people who do bad things go unpunished. But more importantly," Justin added, greater weight to his voice now, "there's nothing _wrong_ with being attracted to someone who has the same plumbing as you. There's nothing  _wrong_ about being attracted to anyone. Boys, girls, transgender people, even people who don't identify as one gender or the other. The only thing that matters is that you be who you are, that you're honest with yourself. Brian and I are attracted to men. We're especially attracted to each other. And we're in love. There's absolutely  _nothing_ wrong with us being together."

"Then why do so many people think there is?" John asked curiously.

With another sigh, Justin said, "That's a very long history lesson, and my best friend Daphne would tell it better. She's the one who explained it to me. But I'll give it a shot.

"Basically, when people started to own land and started having a hierarchy of rank—royalty, nobility, gentry, peasantry—men decided that they needed to be sure that their sons were really their sons. So the concept of marriage was implemented, and men started demanding that women be virgins on their wedding day and remain faithful afterward. That way, men of rank could be sure they were leaving their lands and property to their biological sons. And for further control, women were only allowed to be with a _man_ they were married to, even though sex with another woman wouldn't result in children. Men allowed themselves to be promiscuous little shits if they wanted to be, as long as they didn't let their wives or society know they were sleeping around. So homosexual interactions became taboo."

John just blinked at him for a moment. Feeling a little silly, Justin shrugged. "In a nutshell."

"So where does religion come in?"

"Most people wouldn't want to believe it, but religious values have always been highly affected by the norms of the society that that particular religion exists in. Basically, the people believed—or acted like they believed—all of this shit, so religion adopted the concepts. There are a lot of Christian churches now that are much more accepting of people in the LGBT community, and it's because the people themselves are becoming more open-minded. Depending on your belief system, you might say that your god is changing, or that people are now ready to know more about what your god wants, or that no deity comes into it and it's just humankind advancing." Justin shrugged. "The point is that change  _is_ happening. For the better, in my opinion."

They sat quietly for a while longer. Eventually, John asked, "But  _why_ do you like guys?"

Justin laughed. "Why do you like girls?"

"Because," John said, shrugging. "Their skin is soft, and they're pretty, and they smell good."

"I like guys because their skin is soft, and they're pretty, and they smell good," Justin said, smiling.

"So... we just like different looks and smells, then."

Justin beamed a sunshiny smile at John. "Exactly."

John nodded thoughtfully for a moment before going back to his homework.

* * *

"See ya, Justin!"

"Bye, John," Justin said, smiling softly.

Claire watched, amazed, as her happy son walked out of the loft to head down to the car. She turned to look at Justin. "What... how did you do that?"

Justin shrugged, eyes wide. "I have no idea. I asked him about his video game, I left him to his homework, and I answered some questions he asked. He was much better behaved than I expected him to be."

Still dumbfounded, Claire shook her head and moved toward the door. "Well, thank you. I might just call sometime to ask you to watch him again, if that's how he's going to be when he leaves here."

"I'd be okay with that," Justin offered. "I've still got three weeks of the semester left, but my summer schedule is pretty flexible as of right now."

"Thank you, again," she said softly. "Bye, Brian. Bye... Justin."

"See you later, Claire," Justin offered, closing the door behind her.

Immediately, kisses were being planted up and down his neck. "You... are... a fucking... miracle worker."

Justin spun in Brian's arms, his hands moving to Brian's hair. "When Molly's acting out, it's because she's getting attention, but not the kind she wants. I thought if I let John come to me about what he was after"—Justin shrugged—"then things might go more smoothly."

Brian shook his head, amazed. "What did he want?"

Smiling sadly, Justin explained what John had said about Claire and Joan's attitudes about Brian. "I think he's heard so much shit about you and your life that he couldn't understand why I would want to be with you." Justin clucked his tongue. "Ignorant fuckers, the lot of them."

Brian leaned forward so that their foreheads pressed together. They remained like that for a while, just soaking in each other's presence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm kind of nervous about this chapter, so please, please tell me what you think. My feminist side really wanted to come out to play here. I hope I haven't offended anyone. Justin's explanation isn't actually history; it's my own personal interpretation of history. Feel free to disagree with me about it! (It's been on my mind lately because I recently got in an argument with my very religious brother and his wife over the topic of marriage, when and why it started, and how it's changed over the millenia. And the topic fit so well with John's emotional environment and how that would affect his opinion of his gay uncle that I had to include it.)


	8. S3 E5: Brian and Justin, Justin and Jennifer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Stockwell.
> 
> Rating for this chapter is T.

The Saturday before Justin's final exams, Brian and Vance attended a fundraiser for Chief Jim Stockwell, who was running for Mayor of Pittsburgh. Justin had  _not_ been happy.

_"Don't you know anything about his history, Brian? He's the one who decides when to close cases. Do you know how often our police force ignores crimes against our community? And you're going to a fucking **fundraiser** for the bastard?!"_

_"Vance wants us to go there to schmooze. There'll be a lot of local business owners there, which means potential clients for VanGard."_

_"Fuck Vance!"_  Justin had yelled as he stomped around the loft.  _"And fuck any potential clients that would vote for that asshole!"_

Brian had taken his fuming blond into his arms then and said softly,  _"Their money is as green as anyone else's. And as long as I work for Vance, I have to go to events like this when he demands it. Who knows? Maybe someone I meet there tonight could be my ticket to setting out on my own."_

Justin still hadn't been happy, but he'd stopped ranting enough to give Brian the blow job of the year before sending him off to the party.  _"To remind you of what's **really** important," _ he'd said _._

Unfortunately for Brian, Justin was about to get even more pissed off.

* * *

"Vance fucking  ** _what?!_** "

Brian flinched at Justin's shriek. "He convinced Stockwell to let VanGard handle his campaign, and he told me to take point on the account."

Justin's mouth opened and closed a few times. Finally, he managed to say, "Fucking... un-fucking-believable. And there's nothing you can do?"

"Justin," he sighed, covering his eyes, "even if there was a way to stop it, I wouldn't."

There was an ominous silence for a time. Eventually, Brian looked back at Justin and saw the hurt and confused look on his face. "Why would you say that? Don't you  _care_?"

"It doesn't really matter who wins," Brian said lowly, his face serious. "Whether it's the Democrat who pretends he likes you, or the Republican who's honest about how much he hates you, once they get in office, neither would do anything to help you. So I say, let the self-serving-asshole-who's-going-to-send-a-shit-ton-of-lucrative-business-my-way-if-he-gets-elected win."

Justin sat down next to him, shaking his head in disappointment. "Even if that was true about everyone hating us—which it  _isn't_ , and you know it!—I would still rather go with the asshole who wasn't going to do  _more_ harm. I'd rather be left alone if the choice was between that and suffering even further." With a sigh, Justin pulled them into their Serious Talk position so that Brian wouldn't have to have Justin looking at him. "I know it hurts to put faith in someone and have them let you down," he said softly. "But it's unfair to never give anyone a chance."

Justin pulled Brian's hand up to his lips and kissed it softly. "I love you. I hate this situation. And I'd rather you find a way out of it if you can." Justin sighed deeply and leaned back into Brian's chest. "But it's your job, your life. You have to decide for yourself what to do with it. And even if I don't like your decision, I'll still be here for you."

Brian placed a series of grateful, gentle kisses down Justin's neck in response.

* * *

The next day, Justin had lunch with his mother. He told her all about what had happened with Brian the night before.

"Oh, honey," she'd sighed, grasping Justin's hand. "Do you think he'll really go through with it?"

"He has to, if he wants to keep his job." Justin shook his head. "All I can hope for is that he'll decide not to put everything he has into it. Because if he does, we're screwed."

Jen smiled. "He is very good at what he does."

With a smirk, Justin said, "Yes, he certainly is." He ignored his mother admonishing him for the innuendo and said, "I can't talk about this anymore. What's new with you?"

"Oh! I spoke to Emmett and Ted yesterday. They decided they're going to get a house together, and I offered to be their realtor. I've got to do some research this afternoon so I can take them to see a couple places on Monday."

Shocked, Justin said, "They're buying a house together? Already?"

Jennifer raised an eyebrow at him. "You, of all people, think it's too soon for them to move in together?"

Justin shook his head. "I just think it's a little soon to be buying a house together. Getting an apartment would be one thing, but...."

"Do you not think this will last?"

"I don't think they'll last as a romantic couple, no," Justin admitted, shaking his head. "They're great friends, but I don't think the spark is there."

"How could you say that?" Jennifer asked, utterly shocked. "I've seen them together, they're all over each other."

Huffing, Justin said, "But that's just it. Their words and their bodies say they're in love, but their eyes say it's all overcompensation." Justin shrugged. "I could be wrong, but I doubt it."

"Well," Jennifer said, tucking into her lunch again, "I'm still going to do my best to find them the place of their dreams. And I'll just cross my fingers that I won't be putting it back on the market in another few months."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brian is still a cynic and would run Stockwell's campaign if it was given to him, but if he knew Justin disapproved, I doubt he'd go looking to make Stockwell into a client. I thought this was a good compromise.


	9. S3 E7 & 8: Brian and Ted/Justin, Justin and Classmates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ted, in legal trouble over hiring a minor at his porn business, begs Brian for assistance. Brian discusses the Stockwell issue with Justin. And Justin goes out with some friends from school and hears some interesting things about a mutual acquaintance.
> 
> Rating for this chapter is E.

"Look at this street," Stockwell's advisers were saying. "Backrooms and bath houses. A veritable breeding ground for every kind of sexually transmitted disease."

Brian looked around at Liberty Avenue, the place he felt the most free, with the single exception of the loft. Stockwell clasped Brian's shoulder, drawing his attention back. "And with your help," the police chief said, "we're gonna clean it up."

"And in the process," the female adviser said, "win the election."

* * *

Later that day, when Brian left the diner after having lunch there, Ted slowly sidled up to Brian outside his new Corvette. He had a hat and sunglasses on to hide his face.

"At last, my own personal stalker," Brian snarked at him.

"This is a beauty, Bri," Ted offered nervously, patting the 'Vette. "Haven't had a chance to see it yet, what with buying a house, and work, and... getting arrested."

"Yeah, I saw the papers," Brian said, voice going softer. "Fucking ugly-ass picture."

Ted hung his head and sighed. "Is there... any point in asking you to put in a word with Stockwell, Brian?"

"What word would you like?"

" _Don't_."

Brian dropped his head back. "Look, I do the man's TV spots, I'm not the fucking DA."

"I know that, Bri, but... you've got his ear. Just....  _Please_ , Brian."

With a sigh, Brian gently maneuvered Ted out of his way so he could climb into the car. He didn't answer because he couldn't come up with a way to say that he'd try, but not to count on him.

He felt like he was letting everyone down these days. Lindsey was upset that he hadn't agreed to father their next child. The entire family was upset that he was running Stockwell's campaign. He was so busy with work that it had been ages since he'd spent time with Gus. Michael was going through a whole lot of shit (trying to get Mel pregnant and dealing with Ben's steroid rage), and Brian had barely been able to be there for him. And Justin....

Well, they weren't fighting. They were still spending time together doing all the usual things: watching movies, eating take-out, tricking, clubbing, and having plenty of one-on-one sex. But once in a while, when Brian worked at home, he swore he could feel the air in the loft go far too frosty for June.

Brian didn't want to promise Theodore that he'd help out only to let him down, too.

* * *

That night at the loft, Brian told Justin what all had happened that day. Justin sat quietly, listening intently. Eventually, when Brian had finished, he asked, "So what are you going to do?"

"Talk to Stockwell, first of all, and convince him that a small-fry like Ted isn't the kind of target he wants to set his sights on."

Justin's brow crinkled. "Small-fry?"

"To Stockwell, yeah. Theodore only owns one website. I'm going to convince Stockwell that expending all his energy there will just encourage the opposition to claim he's picking on the little guy for the free publicity, and that the media would turn him into a martyr. Hopefully he'll back off, if he thinks it's in his own best interests."

"That's my boy," Justin said softly, smiling and laying a gentle kiss on Brian's lips.

"You've been pissed at me lately," Brian said.

With a sigh, Justin bowed his head. "I tried not to let it show too much. I told you I'd let you be your own man, but I still was making you feel guilty. I'm sorry."

Brian hugged him close and laid back to settle their heads on the pillow. "You were right. Stockwell's a close-minded bigot who thinks his way of living should be the only way. I... I don't know what to do. Professionally speaking, working against him is a terrible idea. Never mind the fact that, if he loses, I don't get to take advantage of his contacts. But if it got out that I worked against the success of one of my clients, it could be the end of my career. No one would want to hire me. But personally...."

"You can't endorse a candidate who thinks, speaks, and acts the way he does."

"Exactly." Brian sighed. "And anyway, we have more important things to worry about. The appeal is only a month away now. We've got to be ready."

Justin groaned and buried his head in the pillow. "Can't we just fast forward to the point where they put Hobbs in prison?"

"Not really the way it works, Sunshine," Brian whispered into the skin of his shoulder.

Justin turned his head, seeking Brian's lips with his own. They kissed slowly at first, and then the heat between them ramped up. Brian tugged down his sweatpants while Justin shucked his briefs, and the two crashed together.

They kissed and caressed every inch of each other's skin, sighing and whimpering and exchanging praises. "Oh, god, Bri," Justin sighed when the brunet sunk his mouth down around Justin's dick. Concentrating on the motions of his tongue, Brian started to bob his head up and down, pulling the most beautiful sounds from his lover's throat.

So lost in the sensations was Justin that he didn't notice Brian moving one of his hands away, nor did he hear the sound of the lube bottle popping open. It wasn't until several minutes later when Brian was rolling a condom down Justin's cock that he realized what was happening.

"Fuck, Brian, yes. Oh, fucking hell.... Ride me."

Brian moaned in pained pleasure as he sunk down, taking Justin all the way inside himself a little more quickly than he probably should have done. As he remained in place, adjusting to the feel of the cock inside him, Justin sat up and wrapped his arms around Brian's body. "God, you feel fucking fantastic," Justin whispered, his hands rubbing up and down Brian's back in soothing motions.

"Been... a long time since... we've done this," Brian panted, finally relaxing enough to begin moving.

"Hmm," Justin murmured in agreement. "I'm assuming you mean you riding me? Because you bottomed for me two weeks ago."

"Arrogant little pri— _holy fuck,_ Justin, right  _there_!"

Chuckling, Justin continued thrusting as much as possible from his position, his hands now propped behind him to provide leverage. Brian panted and whined and, generally, made noises that Justin knew the man would never own up to making.

It was exquisite.

"Touch yourself, stud," Justin demanded in a breathy voice. "Make yourself come for me, baby."

Brian groaned in both pleasure and exasperation. "Don't— _oh, fuck, yes_ —call me— _ah_ —baby, Justin."

Instead of answering, Justin surged up for a kiss just as Brian fell over the precipice, painting both of their stomachs in semen.

"Mmm," Justin moaned deeply, letting himself go. "Fucking hell, your body is incredible. I love watching you come," he sighed, hips finally stilling as his orgasm tapered off.

With a grunt of acknowledgement, Brian collapsed onto Justin's chest. They laid there together until their breathing slowed, wrapped up in their own little world.

* * *

Justin had been invited to have lunch with a few of his classmates from PIFA. They were currently eating at an outdoor table at one of the on-campus cafés.

"Justin!"

Closing his eyes and sighing, Justin prayed that it had just been his imagination.

It wasn't.

"Are you taking summer courses, too?" asked Ethan.

"No, just here with some friends for the day," Justin explained, introducing the people around the table. "This is Tony, Stephanie, Angela, Corbin, and—"

"Oh," Ethan said, voice less enthusiastic now, "hello, Michaela."

"Ethan," she said, her smile tight. "I didn't know you knew Justin."

Justin cut in before Ethan could say anything. "We've bumped into each other a few times. We met at one of his school recitals. A couple of my friends took me for my birthday this year."

Michaela's eyes seemed to light up with understanding. "Well, if you'll excuse us, Ethan, we were about to head out. It was nice to see you, though."

Looking surprised at the sudden dismissal, Ethan said, "Yeah, you too. Nice to meet you all. See you later, Justin!"

When he was gone and the group had disposed of their trash, Justin asked Michaela, "So, is it safe to say you don't like him either?"

"That fucker? Hell, no!"

Justin was surprised by the vehement response, but apparently Stephanie wasn't. "Oh, is that the idiot that you told me about? The one who sleeps with a different fan after every recital?"

Justin stopped in his tracks. "He  _what_?"

"Oh, yeah," Michaela said, nodding. "The guy is so self-involved. He's so impressed with his own work that he fucking  _rewards_ himself with sex with a fan after every time he performs. It's basically another way to stroke his own ego. The guy's an ass. A friend of mine went out with him last year, and he totally cheated on him and lied about it for weeks. Jack said that Ethan must think moonlight and violin music is a replacement for keeping your promises to your partner. The guy's a sleaze."

Sighing, Justin said, "Then boy am I glad I didn't fall for his bullshit and decide to sleep with him." Then he cocked his head. "Though now I think about it, his crap lines couldn't actually work on that many guys, could they? I mean, they were pretty awful." Everyone laughed at that, deciding that Gold's previous conquests must all have been thinking more with their dicks instead of their brains.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As much as I didn't like Ethan, the cheating in series 3 did kind of come out of nowhere; his personality certainly fits for it, but there was no foreshadowing of infidelity specifically. By adding this bit in, at least he already has a reputation for it.
> 
> Hooray for Brian coming to his senses and being there for his friends!


End file.
